Significant Fender price increases coming next month

[Baker69]

Instead of Fender being an instrument for the people like Leo wanted they are becoming an instrument for the elite. IMHO they are trying to push their basses into being boutique instruments when in fact they’re not. Increasing the price does not make them being better instruments.

If they continue to increase prices I forecast their eventual demise in the market, people simply won’t put up with it. Fortunately for Fender their name is iconic but for how long their name on the headstock is paramount remains to be seen.

Their diminishment of left handed models as well will probably have already shifted their potential market to other brands.

Looking forward more than ever to getting my Sire Z7 lefty in 2 months’ time , what a bass for £699. Sorted! Look and weep Fender.

 

[GretschWretch]

My Magnatones are starting to look better and better. The original P-Bass Lytes.

 

[J Wilson]

For me, Fender has made the same mistake as the German automakers: Trying to make a product for EVERY taste and price range.

BMW for years made 3's, 5's, and 7's, and of course bringing in the SUV-type X vehicles, past that they make SO many models with so many variations of each, it has watered down the brand. Same with M-B and Porsche, whose dizzying array of 911's alone is mind-numbing.

Fender has done the same thing (though they're hardly alone).

To my mind, a rational Fender lineup would be a top end to compete with the Sadowskys and all the other Better-Fender-Shaped-Objects. They could easily do this.

Then, like Gibson, a line of their four pillars (Tele, Strat, Precision, Jazz) as perfect recreations of the cream of their vintage instruments, in finishes from LN to closet queen to heavy relic.

Then a line of bread and butter modern takes on these, probably MIM, for the guys at the Eagles Lodge on Friday and Saturday night.

And Squier to cater to the $500 dollar market.

And a Mod Shop with far more broadened choices than currently available: Leave THIS to be where so many features overlap, because the buyer picked them out instead of trying to divine the fine and confusing differences from the current model ranges.

And call it a day.

Because for me, as they are now, there are so many choices that are incrementally different as you go up in price, there's no compelling reason to buy THIS one instead of THAT one, in many cases, they are just too close in features or content.

 

[sleddogn]

 

[Gizmot]

I can’t say that the price increases from Fender and what we’ll see from others surprises me. Irrespective of what some politicians say the people that pay for the tariffs are customers. If the administration thinks that they’re going to wipe out the trade deficits we have with a lot of countries or convince companies to build factories and products in the U,S. they’re delusional. These tariff fueled price increases will hurt music retailers, musicians and eventually the companies trying to do more business

 

[gt96g]

I saw a post recently from Morgan Amps - a guitar amp brand - so not many are sold in these parts. Anyway, it's an American brand. The amps are made here, but all, if not most of his inputs, are made overseas. He's projecting price increases of $1000 or more on all of his amps. Not even looking at the foreign component, this will hurt American companies, American consumers, and the economy will suffer. The supply chain has been global for nearly 50 years at this point. You can argue the merits of that, and if you feel it's needed, reshore more production of critical industries over time, but you can't just try to shove the toothpaste back in the tube in one day and expect there not to be a giant mess.

 

[Gopherbassist]

I'm grateful you folks were here to point that it to me! I was online loading a sunburst P in the cart!

I can't keep living my life like this!

I just put an orange J bass in the cart. Now I have to figure out where to get the money for it...

 

[mobeme23]

I saw a post recently from Morgan Amps - a guitar amp brand - so not many are sold in these parts. Anyway, it's an American brand. The amps are made here, but all, if not most of his inputs, are made overseas. He's projecting price increases of $1000 or more on all of his amps. Not even looking at the foreign component, this will hurt American companies, American consumers, and the economy will suffer. The supply chain has been global for nearly 50 years at this point. You can argue the merits of that, and if you feel it's needed, reshore more production of critical industries over time, but you can't just try to shove the toothpaste back in the tube in one day and expect there not to be a giant mess.

yeah, i saw his post in Instagram as well. the comments section reminded me why i cannot be on social media (aside from TB). it's really frustrating to see so many supporters of these tariffs doing all the mental gymnastics to rationalize a completely chaotic and irrational policy platform, as if it is going to solve all our problems. i predict it will only worsen the problems, create a deeper domestic economic divide, and further destabilize our global economic position as a trade partner. i hope i am wrong.

all of a sudden, everyone is a trade policy expert! thanks internet!

 

[Dust2Dust]

yeah, i saw his post in Instagram as well. the comments section reminded me why i cannot be on social media (aside from TB). it's really frustrating to see so many supporters of these tariffs doing all the mental gymnastics to rationalize a completely chaotic and irrational policy platform, as if it is going to solve all our problems. i predict it will only worsen the problems, create a deeper domestic economic divide, and further destabilize our global economic position as a trade partner. i hope i am wrong.

all of a sudden, everyone is a trade policy expert! thanks internet!

So you are saying I should get the Steve Harris P, and the Geddy Lee J before things get totally out of hand

Thanks, bro!

 

[Levitamin]

For me, Fender has made the same mistake as the German automakers: Trying to make a product for EVERY taste and price range.

BMW for years made 3's, 5's, and 7's, and of course bringing in the SUV-type X vehicles, past that they make SO many models with so many variations of each, it has watered down the brand. Same with M-B and Porsche, whose dizzying array of 911's alone is mind-numbing.

Fender has done the same thing (though they're hardly alone).

To my mind, a rational Fender lineup would be a top end to compete with the Sadowskys and all the other Better-Fender-Shaped-Objects. They could easily do this.

Then, like Gibson, a line of their four pillars (Tele, Strat, Precision, Jazz) as perfect recreations of the cream of their vintage instruments, in finishes from LN to closet queen to heavy relic.

Then a line of bread and butter modern takes on these, probably MIM, for the guys at the Eagles Lodge on Friday and Saturday night.

And Squier to cater to the $500 dollar market.

And a Mod Shop with far more broadened choices than currently available: Leave THIS to be where so many features overlap, because the buyer picked them out instead of trying to divine the fine and confusing differences from the current model ranges.

And call it a day.

Because for me, as they are now, there are so many choices that are incrementally different as you go up in price, there's no compelling reason to buy THIS one instead of THAT one, in many cases, they are just too close in features or content.

This problem is not just confined to cars and instruments. I see the same issues with the software I use in my profession. There is only one game in town, no competition, and they are constantly releasing confusing and redundant products that then just languish with little to no technical support. Instead of focusing on the bread and butter, they’re trying to constantly “grow,” which is also how cancer operates. It’s ridiculous and I wish this mindset would fall out of favor. But as someone once said to me, “if something doesn’t make sense, somebody is making a killing off of it.”

 

[mobeme23]

So you are saying I should get the Steve Harris P, and the Geddy Lee J before things get totally out of hand

Thanks, bro!

...by all means, bro! don't postpone joy

 

[J Wilson]

This problem is not just confined to cars and instruments. I see the same issues with the software I use in my profession. There is only one game in town, no competition, and they are constantly releasing confusing and redundant products that then just languish with little to no technical support. Instead of focusing on the bread and butter, they’re trying to constantly “grow,” which is also how cancer operates. It’s ridiculous and I wish this mindset would fall out of favor. But as someone once said to me, “if something doesn’t make sense, somebody is making a killing off of it.”

This problem is not just confined to cars and instruments. I see the same issues with the software I use in my profession. There is only one game in town, no competition, and they are constantly releasing confusing and redundant products that then just languish with little to no technical support. Instead of focusing on the bread and butter, they’re trying to constantly “grow,” which is also how cancer operates. It’s ridiculous and I wish this mindset would fall out of favor. But as someone once said to me, “if something doesn’t make sense, somebody is making a killing off of it.”

“If something doesn’t make sense, somebody is making a killing off of it.”

Truth.

 

[Levitamin]

“If something doesn’t make sense, somebody is making a killing off of it.”

Truth.

When I was a cab driver, another driver said that to me. It has stuck with me.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

If the idiocy proceeds as announced from on high, we will have a situation where nobody will be buying Fender, or anything else.

 

[MtManiac]

I go to Nova Scotia every year. Perhaps I'll try and get a few gigs when I go there in '25... as long as they don't run me out of your beautiful country lol!

Happy to have you come here and spend USD in Canada, so long as you’re not buying real estate.

 

[MtManiac]

Just as well all our wages went up 30% too, right? Right?

I know you know already, but for other readers - this is what inflation actually is. We talk about it as the cost of money, but what it boils down to is the decreasing value of labour.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Happy to have you come here and spend USD in Canada, so long as you’re not buying real estate.

MIL has owned a house there since about 1995. Yeah, we love going up there. A lot.

 

[ClusterFlux]

Instead of Fender being an instrument for the people like Leo wanted they are becoming an instrument for the elite....

What are you talking about? Fender instruments just put out a more affordable line (the "Standard") which starts at $600. Even before that, the Player series was only $800.

IMHO they are trying to push their basses into being boutique instruments when in fact they’re not. Increasing the price does not make them being better instruments.

The potential price increases are because of the tariffs, not because of a non-existent marketing stratgy.

If those tariffs are ever actually enacted, then every instrument manufacturer is going to raise their prices. That's how tariffs work.

 

[high mileage]

What are you talking about? Fender instruments just put out a more affordable line (the "Standard") which starts at $600. Even before that, the Player series was only $800.

They're in the UK which might explain some of the pricing situation. Fender stuff is a foreign brand to them.

 

[sleddogn]

Post count seems to have gone down in this thread overnite